The Restriction on Double Positions

The bureaucracy is the element of the nation whose activities touch the lives of the citizens. Each policy issued by the bureaucracy really influences the foundations of social and national lives. Therefore, the double positions’ prohibition is certainly an appropriate policy to be supported.

A bureaucratic reform is a step in the improvement of the process against the disintegration of the bureaucracy. The improvement step does not only remove the discriminatory bureaucracy service. It also must be able to improve the professionalism of public officials.

In order to achieve those, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani and Minister of State-owned Enterprises Sofyan Jalil agreed to issue a Join Decree (SKB) on Double Positions. This issue began with the attention paid by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to a number of government officials who have double positions in the State Enterprises (BUMN). KPK considers that the double positions are susceptible to the behaviors of corruption.

Double positions can be found in almost all departments, especially the departments that are related to BUMNs. Technical officials in these departments usually held the positions of the commissioners in BUMNs. This precedence got the justification from Vice President Yusuf Kalla who said that double positions were legal for government officials to secure the government’s interests. However, the double positions have often caused the behavior of corruption.

Salary Standardization

Public policy expert Ichsanoedin Noorsy stated double positions prohibition must be followed by the standardization of the remuneration of public officials. The prohibition of double positions is intended to concentrate public officials to be responsible for one position. For that purpose, it is required a repair of operational system, appreciation, as well as reward system.

Like Noorsy, political observer Denny Indrayana also said that the raise of public officials’ remuneration must be done in order to support the prohibition of double positions in BUMNs. This is related to the remuneration system in Indonesia that is below standards, encouraging public officials to look for sources of additional incomes.


The opinions of the two observers are fully true because the standards of the public officials’ remuneration at this time are lower when compared for example to the Governor of the Central Bank or with the managing Director of the Mandiri Bank that can reach billions of rupiahs. However, this step must be followed by a legal action that is certain and strict against those who still have double positions or those who commit violations in the implementation of their tasks.

Before SKB, the double positions’ prohibition has been added in the Indonesian regulations: firstly, the PP 100/2000 on the Appointment of the Civil Servants (PNS) in the Structural Positions. The Article 8 of the PP states that PNS that occupies a structural position can not occupy double positions: structural and functional positions.

Secondly, the PP 47/2005 on the Change in PP 29/1997 on the PNS who occupy the double positions. The Article 2 of the PP states that the exceptions to the double positions are the public prosecutors, the researchers, and the designers. However, it is stressed in the Article 2 (1), that PNS is prohibited to occupy the double positions.

With the expected SKB of two ministers, there will be no double positions by public officials, so each official can be focused in carrying out his or her task without being disturbed by the corruption temptations.

Recommendations:

1. The double positions’ prohibition must be accompanied by the increased standards of remuneration for the public officials.

2. It must also be followed by sanctions that are firm and strict for the public officials who still have double positions.

3. The positions that are left by public officials must be filled up through a recruitment system that is clear and transparent so that these positions will be occupied by professional officials.